Thursday, December 19, 2013

WHAT: Thursdays

If you asked me what my
favorite day of the week is, I'd answer Thursday. I don't exactly
know why, perhaps it's the fact that the excitement of the weekend is near, or
that it is often my most productive work day, or that in college on Thursdays I
got to stuff my face with cheese fries. I don't know- Thursdays are
usually always fun and fulfilling, there's just something about the day.

This Thursday I spent most
of my time at Páduai Szent Antal Általános Iskola, a school in
Piliscsaba that teaches elementary, middle, and high school students. For
two class periods I talked with English learners about Christmas traditions and
answered questions about how the holidays are celebrated in the USA. In
turn, I learned a few interesting things about Christmas in Hungary as well...the
subject of a future blog post.

Later in
the evening I attended the school's Christmas concert and witnessed extremely
talented children perform traditional folk dance routines and absolutely
incredible music pieces. My host sister Réka played the recorder, danced,
and sang.And, as I watched her I
felt an immense sense of pride. During her last performance I had to hold
back tears as sweet voices filled the school. With a hint of the
Hungarian accent, Réka sang in a choir of middle school girls and boys the
following words:

May the Lord bless you and keep you.May the Lord make his face to shine upon you,and be gracious to you.May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you,and give you peace.

Back in September Réka and I posed at a mountain sideon our hike. Our sisterhood was just beginning!

I'm not
sure if any of the children knew the true meaning of the English words they
were singing, and I am sure none of them know just how much they impacted me
tonight. This prayer has a special
way of renewing my spirit and filling with me peace, and oh how glorious it was
to hear on a Thursday evening. You
see, for many Thursdays I gathered in Upper Crafts at Lutheridge for Staff
Worship. Pastor Tim would always
close with this very prayer, and somehow we would all be rejuvenated to finish
the week strong with creativity and energy. Tonight I am thankful to have received this prayer from
children who had no clue how the spirit was working through them to give me
energy and creativity to finish the work week before celebrating Chirst’s
birth. Here’s to Thursdays!